uCampaign, the operating name of Political Social Media LLC,[1] is a Washington-based web development startup that produces apps for United States Republican campaigns.[2] The company has produced apps for dozens of right-wing campaigns and organizations, including: Maryland GovernorLarry Hogan, the Republican National Committee, the Family Research Council,[2] the National Rifle Association, and Senator Rand Paul.[1] uCampaign produced similar apps for President Donald Trump (known as America First) and the primary campaign of Senator Ted Cruz.[3][1] News organizations raised privacy concerns over how the apps collected broad user data beyond the apps' stated purpose.[4][5] Outside of the United States, their apps are used by conservative political parties and anti-abortion groups in Australia, Canada, and Europe,[2] including an app in support of Brexit.[1] uCampaign charges a single fee for the base app and monthly maintenance thereafter.[2]
Their apps use concepts from video games to induce users towards specific actions with badges, points, and social recognition as rewards, a concept known as gamification. For example, in uCampaign's National Rifle Association app, the player is awarded points for sending messages to elected officials.[6]
The company's chief executive, Thomas Peters, is a Catholic blogger and former web developer. He founded the company in 2014 from his earlier experiences working as a conservative activist in 2012 and frustrations at the success of the Obama campaign's digital campaigning. Peters received $150,000 in seed funding from Sean Fieler, a hedge fund president and prominent donor to Conservative organizations.[2]
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